Executrix of albert m



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CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

' No. 588,961. Patented Aug. 31,1897.-

(No Model.) 11 Sheets Sheet 2. A. M. GERSTLE, Decd. G DEMENT, Executnx CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

No. 588,961. Patented ug. 31,1897.

no: norms mans co.. PHOl'O-LITHO, WASNINGTON a c (No Model.) 11SheetsSheet 3.

A. M. GERSTLE, Deod.

G. DEMENT, Executrix. CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE. No. 588,961.

Patented Aug. 31, 1897.

m: "cams FETER5 co. PNOTO-LITHQ, wAsmuomu. a. c.

(No Model.) 11 S'heetsS heet 4. A. M. GERS-TLE, Deod.

G. DEMENT, Executr-ix. CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

1 T0.38,9 61 L Patented Aug. 31,1897.

1mm o (No ModeL) 11 Sheets-Sheet 5.

A. M. GERSTLE, Decd.

G DEMEN'] Executux CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

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CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

Patented A'ug.31',1897.

(No Model.) 11'Sheets-Sheet 7.

v A. M. GER-STLE, Dec'd.

G. DEMEN'I, Executrix. CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

No. 588,961. Patented Aug, 81,1897.

(N0 Mddel.) 11 SheetsS heet 8.

A. M. GERSTLE, Deo'd.

G. DEMENT, Executrix. CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

No, 588,961. Patented Aug. 31, 1897.

(-No Model.) 11 Sheets-Sheet 9. A M. GERSTLE, Dec'd.

G DEMENT Executnx CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

Patented Aug. 31,1897.

11 SheetsSheet 10 (No Model.) A. M. GERSTLE, Decd.

G. DEMENT, Executrix.

CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

Patented Aug. 31,1897.

Wssa 'jzmzfi (No Model.) 1 v 11SheetsSheet 11. A.1V[GERSTLE,D6G'(1. G. DEMENT, Executlix.

CONVERTIBLE POOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

No. 588,961. v Patented Aug. 31,1897.

UN TED STATES GENEVIEVE DEMENT, OF

PATENT FFICE.

CONVERTIBLE P OOL AND BILLIARD TABLE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 588,961 ,dated August 31, 1897. Application filed November 17, I896. $eria1 No. 612,420. (No model.) i

in Convertible Pool and Billiard Tables, of

which the following is a specification.

The object of said invention is to provide a billiard-table of such construction that it can be readily adapted to the playing of various games of billiards and pool in which continuous cushions are used or for playing various games of pool in which cushions having pockets are used.

The leading feature of the invention relates to the provision of movable andreversible rails carrying'on one edge or side a set of cushions adapted for playing billiards and upon the-opposite edge or side of the rail a set of cushions which are adapted for playing pool, together with suitable or convenient means for adjusting and securing said rails with either set of cushions in position for use at will. In the embodiment of the invention hereinafter shown there is employed a stationary frame supported by legs, and on which frame the bed rests. The rails employed have two sets of cushions upon their opposite edges, and said rails are rotatably supported at their ends upon radiallymovable corner-pieces preferably containing the corner pocket s. Said corner-piecesare carried by reciprocating rods, and means are provided for moving said'rods simultaneously, whereby in their outward movementsaid corner-pieces are thrust away from the table, carrying with them the rails, and in their inward movement said corner-pieces and rails are drawn back toward the body of the table. The connections between the corner-pieces and the rails are such that during the said movements the rails are rotated upon their end supports, thus moving one set of cushions out of the position of use and bringing the other set into position for use. There is also employed means for conveniently applyingpower to thiswork of adjusting the rails and means for locking and unlocking the rails.

The invention is illustrated in the accompanyin g drawings, in which- Figure 1 is a general view of the table in perspective, the bed removed, and the parts in that stage 'of manipulation wherein the billiardrails are ready to be drawn into position for use. showing a portion of the bed removed and the pooLrails drawn into place. Fig. 3 is a plan view ofthe. parts shown in Fig. 1 with the rails omitted and the rail supporting rods broken away, said rods being shown in their extreme outward position. Fig. 4 is a plan view of one corner of thetable, showing the rails partially turned. Fig. at is a perspective View of one of the side-rail pockets. Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional elevation through a portion of the table, showing one of the end rails in end elevation and one of the side rails in edge view and both of said rails in a tilted position. Fig. 5 is a detail View of a handlever mechanism and operating-shaft. Fig. 6 is a sectional detail of the frame-bed, rail, and a hinged cover for the rail. Fig. 7 shows the slotted sleeve in three views. Fig. 8 is an elevation of one corner of the table, showing the parts inposition for use. Fig. 9 is a fragmentary plan showing one corner of the table as arranged with a continuous rail. Fig. 10 is a like view of the middle portion of the side rail and of the bed beneath the same. Fig. 11 is a fragmentary plan view of a corner of the table as arranged for playing pool; and Fig. 12 a like view of the side rails, showing the open pocket and a portion of the bed adjacent thereto. Fig. 13 is a plan view intended to show the movablerails in their position and relation to the corner or pocket piece and the bed to adapt the table for billiards; and 14E isa similar view showing the rails oppositely. turned, preparatory to arranging the table for playing pool.

In the drawings, 15 represents the bedframe carried by the supporting-legs 16, and said parts may be of the usual or any desired Construction. The transverse support 17,

which may be in the form of a casting, eX-

tends across the open interior of the frame 15 and is secured at its ends to the side members of the frame at about their mid-length. Two other supports, Conveniently in the form of castings, are secured to the bed-frame at its interior corners, said castings having members 19, which project into the inner angles of the bed-frame, and the body of said casting Fig 2 is a partial plan view tom 41 to support the balls.

being extended beneath the longitudinal center of the table, as shown at 20, and having a support or bearing upon the casting 17 near the middle of the table and below the bed thereof. The casting 17 is provided with a bearing for a vertically-arranged operating shaft 21, which carries upon its lower end a sprocketgear 22, over which a sprocket-chain 23 passes, said chain being turned around a sprocket- 24 near the side of the bedframe and said sprocket- 24 having sockets to receive the operating levers 25. One of said sockets extends transversely through the hub of said sprocket and one of the operating-levers (marked 25) is adapted to slide through said socket into the tubular lever 25, so that the lever 25 may be thrust in out of the way after the rails have been changed. Said vertical shaft carries thereon two cams 2G and 27 and said cams are operatively mounted within slidable frames 28 29, said frames being adapted to overlap and sliding in suitable ways, preferably sheaves or antifriction-rollers 30. In order to reduce the friction of the cams upon said frames, the autifrictionaollers 31 32 are employed, against which the edges of the cams operate.

The frames 2 2.) have extensions 33 34, which are connected by the links 35 with the corner-rods 36, slidably mounted in the members 19 of the casting 30. Said rods at their outer ends are connected to the corner-pieces 37, said corner-pieces being preferably in the form of hollow castings, so as to provide corner pockets. Said corner-pieces are beveled to abut upon the mitered ends of the rails, producing therewith tight joints, and are provided with the plates 37, which overlap the ends of the rails and afford suitable finish at the corners of the table when in use. The rails are of peculiar construction.

The body 38 of the rail maybe made of wood and surmounted by the cushion-bases 39 40, secured to opposite edges of said body longitudinally thereof.

To the cushion-bases 30 are secured a set of cushions, (marked 41,) said cushions being constructed in sections of such length and so separated from each other as to adapt them for use in playing pool. The corner-pieces 37 provide corner pockets and the side rails are provided with side pockets, which are shown in detail in Fig. 4. Said pockets are afforded by a metal shell 41, open at its top and upon one side and having a suitable bet- The upper edge of the shell is secured with the striking-plate 41 which also affords a finish or covering for the ends of the pool-rails. The bed of the table and the slate of the table are cut away in the usual manner, as shown in Fig. 12. This metal shell forms the outer side of the pocket when the rails are set for playing pool, as shown in said figure, while when the rails are reversed the shell 41 will be reversed therewith and the bottom 41 will be presented upwardly within the cut-away portion of the bed and slate and slightly below the surface of the latter.

To the cushion'ba-ses 40 are secured a set of cushions 42,which are adapted for the playing of billiards, said cushions being four in number and of the same length as the end and side rails.

It will be observed that the cushions 41 and 42 project in opposite directions from the body 38 of the rails. Said rails are rotatably supported at their ends upon rods 43, extending outwardly from the corner-pieces. The said rails have sleeve-bearings for said rods, the body of the sleeve-bearing being marked 44 and the carrying-flanges thereof 45 and 4G. Said sleeve has two long longitudinal slots opposite each other, as seen at 47 48, and two shorter longitudinal slots 49 50, also located opposite each other and intermediate the circumferential positions of the slots 47 48, with which they are connected by diagonal slots 51 52. The substance of the sleeve bounded by the diagonal slots terminates in a point 53, which is in line with one side of the slot 50.

The rods 43 carry pins 54,which work within said slots and thereby operate to rotate the rails upon said rods, thus reversing the positions of the cushions when desired to convert the table from a pool to a billiard table, or vice versa. The manner in which this conversion is effected may be understood by describing the operation with reference, first, to Fig. 2 of the drawings, in which the pool-cushions are in position for use. In this position the frames 28 2.) are at the limit of their movement in one direction. The rods carrying the corner-pieces are drawn into their limit and the pins 54 are the inner limits of the longitudinal slots 47. Ifnow the upright operating-shaft be turned, the cams, acting upon the frames, will cause them to slide by each other to the position shown in Fig. 3, which is the limit of their movement in the other direction. During this movement of the frames the links 35 will cause the corner-rods 36, carrying the corner-pieces 37, to slide outwardly, and said corner-pieces will cause the rods 43 to be drawn out along the sleeves 44, the pins 54 in this movement traversing the slots 47 and 51 and passing into the slots 50. In passing through the slots 51 the pins will cause the rails to turn through one-quarter of a revolution or into the position shown in Fig. 4. The continued movement of the 0perating-shaft will now cause the frames 28 20 to return toward their original positions, and during this movement the pins 54 will pass out of the slots 50, through the slots 52, and thence into and along the slots 48. In passing through the slots 52 the pins will cause the rails to perform another one-quarter revolution, thus bringing the parts to the position shown in Fig. 1, while the completion of the movement will cause the rails to be drawn in, thus bringing the billiard-cushions into position for use.

So far the description has dealt merely with IIO the supporting, moving, and reversing of the rails, audit will be understood that the instruinentalities above described in connection with these functions may be of widely-differ ent construction and arrangement from those shown, as this invention in its broadest scope is not limited to specific mechanism in carrying out these functions.

There is preferably employed in connection with the instrumentalities above described, or others of equivalent function, mechanism for locking the rails in the position of use, and this will now be described. The locking mechanism comprises plates 55, of which two are arranged near each corner of the table and which engage the side and end rails, respectively, and shorter locking-plates 56, two or more of which may be employed for each side rail intermediate the plates 55. The plates 55 are pivotally connected at their inner ends in pairs to one angle of bell-cranks 57. Said bell-cranks are also connected by the straps 58 with the short locking-plates 56, and the series of locking-plates on each side are interconnected by means of the long bars 59. Said bell-cranks are so disposed that their inner ends are in the path of the striker-plate 60, carried upon the sleeve 61, sliding upon rods '62, which latter are continuations of the parts 33 34. The sleeves G1 are connected by straps 63 with crank-arm 64 on the shaft 2]. The bell-cranks are connected by springs 65 to the bed-frame.

When the railsare moved in, the sleeve 61 will be drawn inwardly along the rod and the plate will engage the belleranks, as shown in Fig. 2, thus moving them bodily, so as to draw upon the plates 55 directly, and said bell-cranks will also be rocked on their pivots, thus drawing upon the plates 56 through the links 58. The outer ends of the plates are upturned and they work throughapertures 66 in the rails, and said locking-plates carry pins 67 which strike upon angle-irons 68 on the outer corners of the bed-frame, thus lifting the upturned ends into position to engage with the outer sides of the rails. By the means above described the rails are simultaneously and automatically locked in position by operation of the reversing mechanism. The rails will be drawn up snugly and securely held, and in order to insure their perfect alinement or leveling there are employed centering-bolts 69, Fig. 2, one for each rail. These bolts slide in suitable keepers on the frame and are backed up by springs 70. The outer ends of the bolts are arrow-headed and enter apertures 71 in plates 72, secured to the rails.

WVhen the rails are to be reversed, the looking mechanism is released by the inceptive motion of the frames 28 29, and the springs 65, operating upon bell-cranks, will move the series of locking-plates outwardly, disengaging the pins 67 from contact and permitting the upturned ends of the plates to drop down and release the side rails. This lockin g mechanism may also be varied as to its structural details and arrangement.

In order to save the expense of highly finishing the sides of the cushion-rails, as well as to conceal the set of cushions which are .not in use. hinged cover or finish pieces are employed in the form of light veneers of suit able shape and cross-section to fit around the exposed parts and to present a neat and attractive appearance. The form of these pieces is shown in perspective in Fig. 1, in section in Figs. 5 and 6, and in elevation in Fig. 8. Said pieces may be of light wood veneers. They are marked 7 2 7 3 and are provided with hinge members 74, pivoted upon pins 75 in brackets 76, secured to the bedframe 15. Flexible straps or chains 77 are secured to said hinge members and pass through apertures in the frame 15 and are eonnected'to links '78, said links being eonnected by the bars 79 and springs 80' to studs 81 on the gear 22. As said gear is revolved in one direction these cover-pieces are drawn up so as to cover the rails, and as the gear moves in the other direction the cover-pieces fall down by gravity out of the way of the rail While it is being reversed as to position. It will be understood that four of these coverpieces are provided and that they extend from corner to corner and fit against the corner-pieces and beneath the cap-rail, as shown in Fig. 8.

That is claimed as the invention of the said ALBERT M. GERSTLE is- 1. In a convertible pool and billiard table the combination with a bed of reversible rails, said rails having cushions of diverse construction upon different portions thereof and adapted to be brought into use by the reversal of said rails, substantially as described.

2. A rail for a table of the class described rotatably supported and having billiard-cushions upon one side or edge thereof and pooleushions upon the other side or edge thereof, substantially as described.

3. A rail for a table of the class described rotatably supported at its ends and having upon its opposite sides billiard and pool cushions respectively, the acting faces of said cushions extending in opposite directions from the body of the rail and adapted by the rotation thereof to be brought into positions for use, substantially as described.

4;. In combination with a table of the class described a set of laterally-movable rails rotatably supported at their ends and each'rail carrying two cushions upon opposite edges thereof, substantially as described.

5. In a table of the class described the combination with a stationary bed-frame of movable corner-pieces, rails rotatably supported upon said corner-pieces and connections between the corner-pieees and the rails where- 6. In a table of the class described the compurpose described.

bination with slidably-mounted corner-pieces having pockets therein, rods extending from. said corner-pieces parallel to the frame members, rails rotatably mounted upon said rods and a slot-and-pin connection between said rails and said rods whereby as the pieces are .moved out and in the rails are rocked or rotated upon their supports, substantially as described.

7. In a table of the class described the combination with a frame of laterally-movable corner-pieces having sliding supports upon said frame, rods extending angularly from said corner-pieces parallel to the sides and ends of said frame respectively, rails arranged parallel to the sides and ends of the frame respectively and pivotally supported upon said rods, pins carried by said rods and slotted sleeves carried by said rails and means for simultaneously moving the supports of the corner-pieces, substantially as and for the S. In a table of the class described the combination With laterally-nioyable rails rotatably supported at their ends and means for moving and rotating; said rails, of means for simultaneously locking the several rails in their adjusted positions, substantially as described.

0. In a table of the class described the combination with a stationary bed-frame of laterally-movable corner-pieces, rails rotatably supported upon said corner-pieces and movable therewith, sliding supports extending through the frame of the table to the interior thereof, means located within said table for simultaneously moving said supports and movable locking-plates adapted to engage and lock said rails in their adjusted positions, said locking-plates being operated by the rail moving and reversing mechanism, substantially as described.

10. In a table of the class described the combination with reversible rails having cushions upon opposite edges thereof of movable coverpieces for covering the lower portions of said rails, substantially as described.

1 1. In a table of the class described the combination with a stationary bed-frame of lat-- orally-movable and reversible rails carrying cushions upon opposite longitudinal edges thereof, of coverpieces hinged to the bedframe and means for simultaneously moving said cover-pieces on their hinges to cover the lower portion of the rails, substantially as described.

12. In a table of the class described the combination with the stationary bed-frame of laterally-movable and reversible rails, means for moving and reversing said rails and leveling devices carried by the bed-frame an d adapted to engage with the rails to secure their horizontal alinement, substantially as described.

GENEVIEVE DEMENT,

Etccutrim of Albert J[. Gcrstle, deceased.

Witnesses:

FREDERICK C. Goonwnv, G. I. IIARBRIDGE. 

